Researchers at MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Harvard have found a novel solution to the problem of building a robot that's strong enough to lift an object several times its own weight, but gentle enough not to crush something fragile.
The result is a robot 'hand' with a folding structure that collapses around an object to hold it securely (like a Venus flytrap trapping an insect).
This flexible design and gentle grip let it grasp a wide range of objects without damaging them, and it's strong enough to keep a firm hold on objects 100 times its own weight.
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Many multi-purpose grippers use fingers made from a flexible material like rubber. These can cope with objects of different sizes and shapes, but are unable to hold onto bulky or heavy objects.
Read more:
https://www.techradar.com/news/researchers-develop-an-origami-inspired-robot-hand-with-a-gentle-touch